This invention relates to information recording and in particular to novel improved multi-disk arrangements of data records and to associated means for automatically partitioning them.
Workers in the art of making and using flexible recording disks are aware of their various advantages and shortcomings. As mentioned in the cited U.S. Ser. No. 711,647, (now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,640) magnetic disks have well known advantages, and in the form of "flexible disks" can serve as a "unit record" medium that is compact, light, and is readily transported, stored, and handled, interchangeably with other like disks. Flexible (or "floppy") disks are now widely used in the data processing arts.
Workers recognize that costs may be reduced in many cases by replacing a rigid magnetic recording disk with a "floppy" disk. Floppy disks can be fashioned from well-known polyester sheet material (e.g., for familiar polyethylene terephthalate used for magnetic tape) with a magnetic coating thereon--this plastic being simply cut into the shape of a circular disk with a central mounting hole to accommodate the familiar drive-spindle. Packs of such "prior art" floppy disks are well known to workers.
The present invention is related to such "floppy packs" and involves improved associated partition means for automatic "splitting" of such packs to expose any selected disk surface for operations (e.g., magnetic transducing). That is, automatic partition means for a "floppy disk pack" is taught according to the invention--using surprisingly simple means and methods as described hereinafter.